wondering about God?

The door is open … but walking through it is a personal choice. To ignore the open door, or to procrastinate, may not seem all that significant today. But on that future day, it will surpass all the other decisions we’ve ever made in our whole lives.

If you haven’t yet begun a relationship with God, here’s what you need to do:

A—Admit that all is not well between you and God. Not that you’re necessarily a bad person, but still … His standards are higher than you can reach. As the Bible says with some bluntness, “There is no difference…. All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:22-23).

B—Believe that there’s still a chance to remedy this situation, however, thanks to the generous sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross. He took the punishment we deserved. He stepped up on our behalf. “You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly…. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 5:6 and 6:23).

C—Call out to the Lord for his forgiveness and acceptance. Tell Him honestly that you want to be changed on the inside. Ask Him to adopt you as one of His special children. He won’t brush you off. He will welcome you. In the words of the ancient prophet Joel, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Joel 2:32, Romans 10:13).

You can talk to God about this anytime, anywhere, using any words you wish. You don’t have to come up with a formal speech. Just be honest and tell God the essence of the A-B-C points above.

If you feel uneasy, here’s a short prayer you can say:

Dear God, I’d like to make things right with You. I admit I haven’t always lived the way I should and I’ve broken Your rules. I ask for Your forgiveness of my sins. Based on what Jesus did on my behalf, please accept me as one of Your children. I recognize you as the new Authority of my life, and I’ll do my best to follow Your direction. Be merciful to me, O God. Amen.